THE BAR ISN’T A MERITOCRACY
We like to think it is.
Be an excellent barrister.
Work hard.
Do excellent work.
The opportunities will follow.
Come on.
Legal expertise is expected.
You’re a barrister.
But what school did you go to?
What’s your background?
Have you got a name people recognise?
Who do you know?
Which floor are you on?
Favouritism exists at the Bar.
And when you’re new, the experienced, but new barrister is easier to include in matters.
They’ve done it before. It’s simpler. Less work.
Why take the risk on someone new?
Well, if nobody does, they don’t get the opportunities to gain experience and build a practice.
I learnt that very early.
On one floor, I wasn’t referred work or included in briefs with more experienced senior barristers.
Eventually, I was told I didn’t have the “background” they wanted to market the floor as.
Bit late to do much about that. 😊
I still built a practice. Twice.
But here’s the real issue.
What happens when you’re benefiting from the culture?
You’re senior. You’ve got the experience, relationships and a thriving practice.
Favouritism might be working pretty well for you.
So why challenge it?
You might lose something you value.
Someone’s approval.
Maybe find yourself on the 'outer'.
Much easier to stick with the favourites.
But other barristers are watching.
Keep choosing the same people, and they learn pretty quickly:
Protect your position.
Don’t upset the right people.
Once you’re in, don’t risk becoming 'out'.
That’s creating a fear-driven culture.
High-performing, courageous leaders do something different.
They challenge favouritism even when they benefit from it.
They look beyond the favourites and do what's right even when it's uncomfortable.
Sometimes that means risking something they value.
Otherwise, where’s the courage?
Because “that’s just how things work at the Bar” only stays true while the people with the power to influence real change keep creating a fear driven culture
Imagine what it would be like to work at the Bar where high-performing, courageous leadership was 'how things were done around here'.
